First Vice PM partook in Berlin conference on water and good neighborly relations in CA

ASTANA. KAZINFORM At the invitation of the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, First Vice Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev took part in the conference on " Water and Good Neighborly Relations in Central Asia" in Berlin.

Representatives of the European Union, Central Asian countries, scientists and international experts gathered in German capital city for the conference.

Taking the floor, Bakytzhan Sagintayev said that for the past decades Kazakhstan has been developing its legal framework in water issues regulation. A state program of water resources management has been adopted and measures on revival of the Aral Sea have been launched.

However, water supply situation in Central Asia faces downturn presently and effective solution of this problem requires comprehensive approach and coordinated actions, he noted. Sagintayev informed the conference participants of the measures on improvement of the water situation in Central Asia initiated by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. In particular, Kazakh side proposed to hold a meeting of the Council of the Presidents of the International Aral Sea Rehabilitation Fund member countries or a water summit with the attraction of large donors and experts.

The First Vice PM announced also Presidential initiative to establish a Central Asian investment fund and a regional water security center.

Besides, Kazakhstan suggests to develop jointly and sign the Treaty on Water and Ecological Security in Central Asia. A system of hydrological data exchange is important too, he said.

One more Kazakhstan's initiative was to improve efficiency of the work of the Interstate Commission for Water Management and Syrdarya and Amudarya basin water management organizations.